Selecting the Correct Orientation

Good orientation makes a home cheaper to run and more comfortable. Here’s what to look for in a Perth block.

Home Base Design & Build Centre

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Single-storey home with wide eaves shading a north-facing alfresco and pool area
Image: &Dalecki

The orientation of your home matters far more than which corner of the block you plant the lemon tree in. Good orientation makes a home more energy efficient. That is a big step towards more sustainable housing, and it also means a home that is cheaper to run. With energy prices continuing to rise, it makes sense – especially as a well-orientated home costs nothing extra beyond some careful thinking up front.

A well-designed, well-orientated home is also more comfortable to live in all year round. In summer it stays cool by limiting heat gain and capturing cooling breezes. In winter it stays warm by letting the sun in and keeping the heat from escaping.

The orientation of the block

One of the most important factors is the orientation of the block itself. Ideally, look for a block that is elongated along the east–west axis, giving it a longer northern boundary.

That longer northern side means more rooms and more windows can face north, so the home can capture and store more winter sun and warmth.

Diagram showing high summer sun and low winter sun reaching a north-facing room, with sun exposure on each side of the home by season
The sun sits high in summer and low in winter, so well-placed north-facing windows let in winter warmth while eaves keep out the summer sun.
Image: Your Home © Commonwealth of Australia 2026, CC BY 4.0

The surrounding buildings

Alongside orientation, look at what is already around the block before you buy. Any existing buildings or trees to the north, however small, will shade part of the home’s northern side and affect how well it performs.

For example, a corner block with an uninterrupted northern aspect will work very differently from a block with a three-storey house close by on its northern side. Both may have a long northern boundary, but the unshaded corner block will give a far better result. In winter the sun sits low in the sky, so even a small obstruction to the north can make a real difference.

Capturing the sea breeze

Surrounding buildings also affect access to cooling summer breezes. In Perth, the afternoon sea breeze – the Fremantle Doctor – comes from the south-west and brings welcome relief on hot days.

Breezes are a little more flexible than sunlight, as they can be guided with features such as wing walls. Even so, a tall building close by to the south-west, particularly one right on the boundary, will limit how much of that breeze your home can capture.

Diagram of a home oriented to the north, showing sun, hot winds and cooling breezes from each direction
Cooling breezes and hot winds come from different directions, so a well-planned home captures the breezes and shelters from the hot winds.
Image: Your Home © Commonwealth of Australia 2026, CC BY 4.0

Working with a good designer

Choosing a block is not just about its overall orientation, but also about the buildings and landscape around it and how they will shape your home’s design.

A good building designer or architect can work with almost any site to make the most of both its orientation and its surroundings.

Once you have the block, the next step is where to place the windows. Read more about why window orientation matters.

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Expert advice provided by Janik Dalecki of &Dalecki. Find out more at anddalecki.com.au.